The "Inaction Has Consequences Act" mandates that if Congress fails to pass regular appropriation bills by the start of the fiscal year, their salaries will be held in escrow until all bills are passed or the end of their term. At the end of the Congress, all funds held in escrow will be released to the members.
Robert Wittman
Representative
VA-1
The "Inaction Has Consequences Act" mandates that if Congress fails to pass all regular appropriation bills by the start of a fiscal year, their salaries will be held in escrow. These salaries will be held until all appropriation bills are passed or until the end of that Congress, at which point the funds will be released to the Members. The Secretary of the Treasury will assist in the implementation of this act. This act defines who is considered a member of congress, and who the payroll administrators are for the purposes of this act.
Congressional Paychecks on Hold? New Bill Ties Salaries to Budget Deadlines
The "Inaction Has Consequences Act" is pretty straightforward: if Congress doesn't pass its annual budget bills on time (by the start of the fiscal year, October 1st), members' paychecks get put on hold. No budget, no pay – until they either finish the job or their term ends.
Paychecks in Limbo
This bill aims to light a fire under Congress to get the budget done. Instead of paychecks flowing as usual, members' salaries would go into an escrow account. Think of it like a holding pen for their money. As stated in SEC. 2, those funds only get released when all the individual spending bills that make up the full budget are passed. If they can't get it together by the end of their term, they get the money then – but the point is to create some financial pressure to avoid those last-minute budget showdowns.
Real-World Ripple Effects
For most of us, if we don't do our jobs, we don't get paid. This bill applies a similar principle to Congress. The idea is that if their pay is on the line, they'll be more motivated to avoid government shutdowns and keep things running smoothly. That could mean fewer disruptions to things like national parks, federal agencies, and even things like small business loans that depend on government funding.
For example, imagine a small business owner waiting on a crucial loan approval. A government shutdown due to budget delays could throw their whole plan into chaos. Or picture a family with a long-planned trip to a national park, only to find it closed because Congress couldn't agree on funding. This bill is designed to minimize those kinds of headaches.
The Fine Print and Potential Kinks
Of course, there's always a catch. The bill defines "regular appropriation bill" very specifically (SEC. 5), referring to the individual spending bills handled by each subcommittee. This is important because it prevents loopholes where Congress could pass a massive, all-in-one bill and call it a day. They have to pass each individual piece of the budget.
One potential snag? This could backfire. If members are really dug in on a political issue, they might be willing to sacrifice their pay – especially those who are already wealthy. This could lead to even longer standoffs, potentially making government shutdowns more likely, not less. It's also worth noting that the bill sponsor has received donations from defense contractors and Altria Group. While the bill doesn't directly favor these industries, a smoothly functioning government with a timely budget does generally benefit companies that rely on government contracts or are subject to federal regulation.
###The Bottom Line
This bill is a direct shot at congressional gridlock. It's a simple concept with potentially big consequences, both good and bad. Whether it actually makes things run smoother or just adds another layer of political drama remains to be seen.